Twelve Clay Feet
Released in February, Twelve Clay feet are out to get their album Totem Bells out there and heard by as many people as possible up and down the UK. Mixed by Fraser Smith (Shed Seven/Ian Brown), the album showcases the bands raucous yet sublime style, esoteric story telling and the passionate energy of their live shows. With origins stretching back to the womb due to twins Ian and Jay (vocals and guitars) forming the band along with Ollie Porsa on bass, and Bob Radford on drums, and achievements such as the Radio 1 backed Transit Tour, these guys are already on the road to success.As such, I thought this could be something which we should find out about before their nationwide tour brings them to a town near all of us!
The psychedelic opening notes of Cornfed build into the album, keeping the bass firmly in the centre of the mix to bolster the sound achieved from the band. The vocals are rough yet somehow match the backing music, adding in a sense of energy and adrenaline through things, keeping it catchy enough to drag you in but restrained enough as to not excite you too much – there’s a long way to go yet. Tribal Girls is almost a shock after the distorted roots of Cornfed, opening much softer and restrained than before yet suggesting there could be more to it than meets the eye. As the track builds, there’s a sense that this is going to be a track which is built for the live scene, one which oozes with clarity and form, and one which is going to be a track to return to time and time again. Layered vocals, powerful backing music, roving bass lines and hammering drums all mix together with perfection, creating a track which fills your ears and takes you to a place where all that there is is this track, it’s a hell of a moment on the album.
Still Life, Sarajevo Bombs, Sour Rum and Casino Rules all continue the album with aplomb, creating a slightly different approach on each track from distorted moments through to almost country style calm, allowing your mind to take all of the elements and place them together to fully grasp the album. Battles is however, a highpoint on the album and a moment which should be listened to for sure. Opening with a sludgy bass line under a soaring guitar line before ushering in more of those raspy yet evocative vocals, this is a track which immediately throws contrasts at you, making you question exactly what’s going to come next and what to expect, but all the time enjoying that uncertainty. As the track closes and the emotionally charged notes of Give Yourself Away signal its beginning, calm is once again restored through another track which is full of carefully moulded instruments, all working together to create one massive sound, one which is beyond any 4 piece I’ve come across in the past.
Mutant Fingers and Circus Tricks are both accomplished tracks in their own right, once again continuing the album, but it’s Red Moon which really stands out as a moment of change and differentiation on the album, throwing in a steel guitar line and launching into a track which doesn’t seem to quite fit, yet it works. Keeping the sound firmly planted within melody and allowing the vocals to intertwine with the guitar line whilst the drums and bass back everything up, there’s one very simple word which describes the sound of this track – it’s just cool. You want to put on some sun glasses, don a leather jacket, put the roof of your car down and cruise with this blasting out, it’s a great moment on the album and a perfect ending to proceedings.
Bands like Twelve Clay Feet often escape my radar as they’re not typically the sort of thing that I would listen to, but the sound these guys have got is beyond what would be simply classed as ‘indie’ and instead, becomes one which seems to grab madly at a load of different genres, piece them together and come up with a sound which works – which in itself is an achievement! This is going to be a band to keep an eye out for – so make sure you check them out!
To find out more about Twelve Clay Feet, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
The psychedelic opening notes of Cornfed build into the album, keeping the bass firmly in the centre of the mix to bolster the sound achieved from the band. The vocals are rough yet somehow match the backing music, adding in a sense of energy and adrenaline through things, keeping it catchy enough to drag you in but restrained enough as to not excite you too much – there’s a long way to go yet. Tribal Girls is almost a shock after the distorted roots of Cornfed, opening much softer and restrained than before yet suggesting there could be more to it than meets the eye. As the track builds, there’s a sense that this is going to be a track which is built for the live scene, one which oozes with clarity and form, and one which is going to be a track to return to time and time again. Layered vocals, powerful backing music, roving bass lines and hammering drums all mix together with perfection, creating a track which fills your ears and takes you to a place where all that there is is this track, it’s a hell of a moment on the album.
Still Life, Sarajevo Bombs, Sour Rum and Casino Rules all continue the album with aplomb, creating a slightly different approach on each track from distorted moments through to almost country style calm, allowing your mind to take all of the elements and place them together to fully grasp the album. Battles is however, a highpoint on the album and a moment which should be listened to for sure. Opening with a sludgy bass line under a soaring guitar line before ushering in more of those raspy yet evocative vocals, this is a track which immediately throws contrasts at you, making you question exactly what’s going to come next and what to expect, but all the time enjoying that uncertainty. As the track closes and the emotionally charged notes of Give Yourself Away signal its beginning, calm is once again restored through another track which is full of carefully moulded instruments, all working together to create one massive sound, one which is beyond any 4 piece I’ve come across in the past.
Mutant Fingers and Circus Tricks are both accomplished tracks in their own right, once again continuing the album, but it’s Red Moon which really stands out as a moment of change and differentiation on the album, throwing in a steel guitar line and launching into a track which doesn’t seem to quite fit, yet it works. Keeping the sound firmly planted within melody and allowing the vocals to intertwine with the guitar line whilst the drums and bass back everything up, there’s one very simple word which describes the sound of this track – it’s just cool. You want to put on some sun glasses, don a leather jacket, put the roof of your car down and cruise with this blasting out, it’s a great moment on the album and a perfect ending to proceedings.
Bands like Twelve Clay Feet often escape my radar as they’re not typically the sort of thing that I would listen to, but the sound these guys have got is beyond what would be simply classed as ‘indie’ and instead, becomes one which seems to grab madly at a load of different genres, piece them together and come up with a sound which works – which in itself is an achievement! This is going to be a band to keep an eye out for – so make sure you check them out!
To find out more about Twelve Clay Feet, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls